Key for self-opening cans



(N 0 Model.) f

. E. NORTON.

KEY FOR SELF OPENING GA NS.

No. 517,657. Patented-Apr. a, 1894.

M l TNESSE'S; 17v VEN To}? M Z7W/ NOR 7'0/v W .srM, bum/ 5% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN NORTON, OF- MAYwo ou ssIeNoR TO HIMSELF, AND OLIVER w.

, NORTON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KEY FORVSELF-OPENING CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent no. 517,657, dated April 3,1894.-

' Application filed Februaryv 6, I894. Serial No. 499,246. (No model.) I

.To all whom it'may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residingin Maywood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Keys for Self-Opening Cans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of keys used for opening cans furnished with tearing strips or detachable strips. Heretofore'these keys have usually been made of short pieces of wire, folded at the middle to form the looped or slotted portion through which the tongue of the tearing strip inserted and around which as a mandrel the tearing lap by each other and then the two limbs of the handle to twist around each other in the attempt to coil the tearing strip around the barrel portion of the key where considerable force or strain is required to open the can, and especially in starting the tearing or winding operation. Efforts have been made to overcome this difficulty by increasing the size of the wire of which the key is made; but this adds to the cost of the keys, a Very material consideration when it is remembered that they can be used but once and a separate key furnished with each can; and moreover the increasing of the size of the wire of course increases the size or diameter of the band about which the strip is to be wound, and correspondingly diminishes the leverage afforded by the handle or thumb piece.

The object of my improvement is to obviate these objections or difficulties, by an improved construction of a simple nature without adding much, if anything, to the cost of the key while enabling the same to be made of light wire, and at the same time increase the size or diameter of the handle or thumb piece so that a greater pressure may be exerted against the same by the thumb and fingers without pain or discomfort in the act of opening the can.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction of key herein'shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

' I In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a self opening tearing strip and key embodying my invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of my improved key. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the handle construction and Fig. 4 is a cross section of the handle.

In the drawings A represents a sheetmetal can, a the the tearing strip or detachable strip marked off or bounded by one or more weakened lines 01., and a the tongue of the tearing strip, the same being shown partially wound around the key.

B is the key of a short piece of light wire, folded at its middle I) to form the looped or slotted portion 1) of the key through Twhich the tongue is inserted and around which the tearing strip is wound.

b b are the two handle shaped portions of the wire, the same abutting together at b that is to say at the middle of the handle.

0 is a clamp of sheet metal, which is bent 'or folded around the two limbs 11 b of the handle thus firmly uniting the two abutting limbs of the handle together so that one cannot slip by the other. The sheet metal clamp of tubeO also serves to materially increase the strength of the handle and to enlarge its size or diameter, thus giving a better bearing or hold for the thumb or fingers in turning .with a piece of wire having a looped or slotted portion 12' formed by a fold at the middle of the Wire, and provided with two handleshaped abutting end portions 11 b of the sheet metal clamp or tube 0 surrounding or embracing said abutting handle portions, substantially as specified. V

EDWIN NORTON.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EMMA HAoK. 

